One Piece: Copying The Phoenix Fruit At The Beginning

│3rd Person POV│

[Grand Line, New World…]

On the vessel of the Whitebeard Pirates' Fourth Division, a figure of around thirteen or fourteen years old lounged in the bow section, holding onto a fishing rod while lazily attempting to catch some fish.

"Ron? Ron!!"

A call echoed, and Thatch, the Commander of the Fourth Division, approached Ron.

Upon reaching Ron, Thatch settled down beside him and remarked, "You lazy kid, always lounging around here. Aren't you worried about getting thrown off the ship if you don't try to train to be stronger?"

While conversing, Thatch opened a bottle of wine and took a sip.

"No point in exercising."

Giving Thatch a brief glance, Ron closed his eyes and continued lazily, "You know my situation, Commander. Unless I find a strong Zoan Devil Fruit, my frail health means the more I work out, the quicker I'll meet my end.

"As for kicking me out of the ship, since Commander Thatch promised to take care of me, I know he wouldn't do something like that."

Ron was special as this was his second life. He reincarnated in the world of One Piece some fourteen years ago.

Born in the territory of the Whitebeard Pirates in the New World, Ron's premature birth left him with fragile health.

Three months ago, some no-name pirates invaded his hometown.

Thatch led the Fourth Division members to the village.

Although they were successful in eradicating the pirate group, no one in the village except Ron was left alive by the pirates.

Not knowing what to do, Thatch decided to bring Ron aboard the ship and appointed him as the cabin boy of the ship.

Even though he was a cabin boy, due to his youth and fragile health, the members of the Fourth Division took special care of him, ensuring he didn't engage in any physical labor.

"Hey, kid!"

Looking at Ron's helpless expression, Thatch acknowledged the truth in his words.

He had witnessed this three months ago when Ron fainted after just thirty minutes of normal exercise. Despite intensive medical care, it took a week for him to regain consciousness.

Doctors determined that Ron's body endurance and immune system were comparable to that of a four or five-year-old child, with only his brain being the exception. He was smarter than the rest of his peers.

Any strenuous activity could prove fatal, and becoming a strong man seemed impossible for him.

Contemplating this, Thatch remarked, "Zoan-type Devil Fruits, be it Normal, Ancient, and Mythical are exceedingly rarer to chance upon, the latter more than the former.

"Even regular Zoan Devil Fruits are quickly snatched up by the Beasts Pirates in the New World. It's not an easy task to find one. But, even without a Zoan Devil Fruit, I've managed to find a Paramecia for you this time."

Thatch produced a silver-black Devil Fruit from his possessions, adorned with a unique pattern resembling a flower.

"What kind of fruit is this?"

Ron, perking up suddenly, fixed his gaze on the Devil Fruit in Thatch's hand. Though a Paramecia, it could still enhance one's physical abilities.

For Ron, a potent Paramecia fruit was crucial. As a reincarnated person, he understood that strength was fundamental in the One Piece world.

With Thatch and eventually Whitebeard's demise, the collapse of the entire Whitebeard Pirate Crew was imminent—a fate Ron aimed to prevent at any cost.

This became more urgent since Ace, the captain of the Spade Pirates, had recently joined the Whitebeard Pirates last month.

Even though he hasn't assumed the role of the second team's captain yet, Ron anticipated that Ace would be taking on the position within the next year or so.

During that time, Thatch will come across the Dark-Dark Fruit, fall victim to Blackbeard's surprise attack, and meet his demise. This event will set off a chain of occurrences leading to the ultimate event, the Summit War.

"I don't have all the details!"

Smirking, Thatch shrugged and remarked, "I stumbled upon this by accident. All I know is that it's a Paramecia, but I can't specify its abilities. What do you think, want to give it a shot?"

With that, Thatch gazed at Ron with anticipation. Truthfully, Thatch also lacked Devil Fruit abilities, making this item immensely valuable to him.

Many members of the Fourth Division desired to become Devil Fruit users, but Thatch nonchalantly presented it before Ron, revealing his clear intentions.

"I…"

About to agree, Ron opened his mouth. He understood Thatch's goodwill and recognized that if he aimed for strength, he had no alternative.

Regardless of its ability, consuming this Paramecia Devil Fruit would enhance his physique and transform his feeble body.

Even returning to the level of an ordinary person would suffice, as practice could then pave the way to becoming stronger, possibly even a formidable individual.

"It's the Copy-Copy Fruit!"

Suddenly, a startled voice emerged from behind them.

Peering in the direction of the sound, it became apparent that Blackbeard, or as he was more commonly known as Marshall D. Teach in the present was approaching them, his eyes fixed on the Devil Fruit in Ron's hand, an unmistakable covetousness in his gaze.

The Copy-Copy Fruit!

Hearing this, Ron's pupils contracted. If it truly was the Copy-Copy Fruit, its value would be immeasurable.

Especially sensing the Teach's desire for the fruit, he became acutely aware of the significance and worth of this item in his hands.

'No! Teach absolutely can't have this fruit! It needs to be consumed right away.'

Having made his decision, Ron exclaimed, "Thanks, Commander Thatch!"

Without allowing Thatch to respond or giving Teach an opportunity to draw closer, Ron bit into the Devil Fruit without hesitation.

*Gulp*

After swallowing the fruit in a single gulp, a smile spread across Ron's face despite the taste of fruit being worse than anything he could have ever imagined it to be.

"You ate it!"

Teach arrived at this moment, observing the Devil Fruit being devoured by Ron with a hint of regret in his eyes.

While the Copy-Copy Fruit didn't match his dreams of having the Dark-Dark Fruit, it was still one of the top-tier Paramecia, possessing considerable power in its own right. He never expected Ron to consume it impulsively.

"Teach! You're here."

Thatch also snapped out of it at this point, harboring little regret. After all, he was the one who had given the fruit to Ron.

Rather than dwelling on what could have been, he turned to Teach with curiosity and asked, "Teach, you mentioned this is the Paramecia type, Copy-Copy Fruit. Do you have any information on it? Is there anything remarkable about this Devil Fruit?"

Upon hearing this, Ron also lifted his head, his eyes filled with curiosity, "Indeed, is there something distinctive about this Copy Fruit?"

Despite being a reincarnator, Ron lacked specific knowledge about the Copy-Copy Fruit.

Upon hearing the term "Copy" in its name, he decided to consume it. After all, if it could indeed replicate the abilities of opponents, as he presumed, it held tremendous value for him.

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A/N: As stated in the Synopsis, this Fanfic is a translation of a Chinese FanFic.

MTL Name: Navigation: The New King Of The Whitebeard Group, Copying The Phoenix At The Beginning.

You can find the MTL version on mtlnation.

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